4 Responses

1. This may be too basic
   You could give them examples of callers’ statements or questions, each with an example of a response, which is assertive, aggressive or passive, and ask the trainees to categorise the responses as being assertive, aggressive or passive. A variation on that is to give them examples of callers’ statements or questions and ask your trainees to generate an assertive, aggressive and passive response to each caller’s statement or question. Another variation is to get the trainees to give examples of typical callers’ statements or questions from their experience, then to say how they usually respond, then to identify whether their responses are assertive, aggressive or passive.

   http://www.businessballs.com/self-confidence-assertiveness.htm might interest you.

2. A useful website
   Hi Ben

   There’s a great website called businessballs.com which has loads of ideas for exercies, ice-breakers etc. Hope you find it useful.

   Kind regards

   Annie Lawler

3. Give Them a Menu
   We ran a course for college front desk staff, part of which was to cover assertiveness.

   We gave them a “menu” with three columns, each listing some of the behaviours and also the internal thought processes associated with each stance, got them to identify what they already use in each column, then pick 2 or 3 they’d most like to swap for something in the “assertive” column and draw those changes down on paper e.g.:

   “letting others have what they want => standing up for my own needs”

   “shouting => pausing before answering in a calm way”

   I could email you the list if you’re interested?

   I met a guy recently who was trained by the army to cross his legs at the ankles when conducting disciplinaries; if his legs came uncrossed that was a signal that he was getting emotional and had to call a time out.

   Dave

4. Trainers Library
   Hi Ben,
   Another great resource/website I use is called Trainerslibrary – a small fee per month between £15-30 per month I think (sorry can’t remember) it’s full of articles, training modules, handouts, exercises, games, links, discounts on training days, failities etc.. Fantastic site, great freindly people who run it.
   Hope this helps?
   Buffy Sparks